UEFA Champions League semi-final preview: Barcelona host Liverpool at Camp Nou in heavyweight clash

Barce host Liverpool in the Champions League [Courtesy]

Having already secured the Spanish league title this past weekend, Barcelona can now turn their attention for the time being to the biggest club prize in the game – the UEFA Champions League. And this coming Wednesday evening (1 May) five-time winners Barça welcome fellow five-time winners Liverpool to Camp Nou in what has the potential to be the tie of this year’s tournament between two stellar, attacking sides.

First things first

Before you go any further, head on over to the Oddsshark website, find your favourite betting site and get your own account up and running using your credit card. As a new customer and with the Champions League now down to the final four, there should be a wide range of promotions and special offers available to you.

Where should I be investing my money?

As mentioned above, Barcelona are on for the treble this season, with the Champions League and Copa del Rey still in play. However, Liverpool have aspirations of their own and could win the double of Premier League and Champions League – currently just a point off league leaders Manchester City with two games left to play, Liverpool are priced at 4.50 to win their first ever Premier League crown.

And having reached the final of the Champions League last season, where they lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in Ukraine, the Reds have also proved they have the calibre to go all the way in Europe. Jurgen Klopp’s men are priced at 3.50 to win the Champions League title this season, although Barcelona remain the favourites and come in at just 2.50 to win their first continental title since 2015.

Regarding this first leg tie and it is also Barcelona who are the red hot favourites to earn an advantage to defend in the second leg at Anfield next week. You can back the home side to win at just 1.90, while Liverpool are out at 4.20 to do the same – a draw comes in slightly under that at 3.80, according to Oddsshark.

Barcelona to record narrow advantage

Given the fact that they have home advantage in this match and they simply must make it count, we are expecting Barça to throw everything at Liverpool bar the kitchen sink and emerge with a narrow advantage. It is of course never easy trying to predict the exact score line in any football match, but a narrow, 2-1 win for Barcelona is priced at 8.50, meaning that a US$5 bet would lead to a US$42.50 pay out.

Such a result would then also allow you to back over 2.5 goals in the game, which is priced short at just 1.66, as well as both teams to score which is at even lower odds of 1.61. Therefore, in an attempt to boost any potential winnings from this huge contest you may wish to consider combo betting, which allows you to select multiple outcomes at higher odds.

For example, you can more than triple your money by backing a combo bet of a Barcelona win, coupled with both teams to score, at 3.50, while you could more than double any investment by backing a home victory and over 2.5 goals in the game. You may also bet on the total number of goals in this first leg tie, with under two out at 4.33, two or three dropping down to 2.05 and over three goals in the game rising slightly to 2.62.

Barça to look to dominate

This is the 90 minutes that Barcelona will have in their own back yard and they simply must try and make it pay. Given Liverpool’s attacking prowess the hosts may well have to win this match coming from behind, an outcome you can back at 8.00.

The Catalan club is at far shorter odds to win this match to nil (without Liverpool scoring a goal) at 3.60, but given how strong the English club are in the final third we think this outcome unlikely. Barça are also high, at 5.50, to go out and win both halves of this clash.

In terms of goal scorers, it is no surprise that Lionel Messi is the main man for the home side. The Argentine is at just 1.72 to get on the score sheet, while you can almost quadruple your money by backing him to score either the first or the last goal of the game at 3.75.

UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg ties:

Tuesday, 30 April

(2.40) Tottenham x Ajax (3.20); draw (3.40)

Wednesday, 1 April

(1.90) Barcelona x Liverpool (4.20); draw (3.80)